Closed barrel terminal applicator

ABSTRACT

Wire feeding means which can be used with conventional wire crimping presses are disclosed. A movable funnel is used to precisely position the wires in a crimping station. Movement of the funnel in synchronization with the terminal feed mechanism extracts the wire from the crimping station and relative movement of the wire and the funnel releases the wire from the funnel. A wire gripping channel into which a wire is positioned grips the wire and moves it through the funnel into the crimping station. A sensor which detects the presence of the wire in the channel is located between a barrel and the crimping station. These elements combine to move the uncrimped wire longitudinally into the crimping station and then move the crimped wire laterally out of the crimping station.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a terminal applicator for crimping closedbarrel electrical terminals to the stripped end of a wire. Moreparticularly, this invention relates to a manual feed mechanism whichassists an operator to rapidly position successive wires in position forattaching a terminal. This invention also is directed to the rapidlateral movement of wires out of a crimping station.

2. Description of the Prior Art

Semi-automatic wire crimping machines for attaching open or closedbarrel terminals to wires having stripped ends are disclosed in theprior art. These machines can be relatively simple. Four principle partsmust be included in each machine. A movable punch and a stationary anvilperform the actual crimping, but terminal feeding and wire feeding meansare also required. In general, such machines employ laterally orlongitudinally fed strips of individual terminals. In the more simpleand less expensive machines, which are of particular interest inconnection with this invention, the wire feeding step is often performedby hand.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,814 discloses a terminal applicator which has areciprocable punch and stationary anvil and an automatic means forfeeding strip mounted terminals. That device employs a continuous beltwhich advances the strip mounted terminals into, through, and out of acrimping station. This belt is linked to the movable punch and propermovement of the strip mounted terminals occurs in sequence with thecrimping operation. A rotatable arm is attached to the strip feedmechanism. This arm is located adjacent to the crimping station. Thisarm moves in sequence with the belt. The arm is intended to remove acrimped wire from the crimping station as a new terminal is advanced forcrimping. The instant invention comprises a feed mechanism which can beused with a terminal applicator consistent with that disclosed in U.S.Pat. No. 3,553,814.

Pertinent examples of manual assist wire feeding apparatus are disclosedand claimed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,804,603 and 3,883,939. Each of theseprior art references, move the wire laterally of its axis into thecrimping or terminal application station where the wire pauses while aterminal is crimped around its stripped end. The wire is then movedlaterally out of the crimping station. It should be noted that lateralmovement alone is insufficient where the wire must be poked into aclosed barrel.

Applications which employ funnel members adjacent to a crimping zone aredisclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,214,957, 3,416,213 and 3,710,483.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary purpose of this invention is to provide a significantincrease in the speed with which wires can be terminated withconventional semi-automatic applicators. Relatively simple wire feedingdevices offer one prospect for increasing the speed of semi-automaticapplicators without incurring undue expense. The instant invention isdirected to an apparatus which is intended specifically for closedbarrel terminals in which the wire must be poked longitudinally into theterminal. This apparatus could also be used with open barrel terminals.Of course, wires may be layed into an open barrel terminal, making wirehandling less complex.

An additional impediment to rapid semi-automatic wire handling is thenecessity to shield the moving or crimping parts of the apparatus fromthe operator. An example would be the guards required by federal safetystandards. The presence of these guards hinder the operator as heattempts to insert a wire into a closed barrel located in the crimpingzone. Essentially, the instant invention is an attempt to aid theoperator to precisely position the wire. By reducing the precisionrequired on the part of the operator, cycle time for standard machinesshould be significantly reduced.

This invention utilizes a funnel located immediately adjacent to thecrimping station. The funnel can provide a larger target for the wire aswell as acting to correct any misalignment of the wire which occurs inthe other parts of the device. As a rule, wires will generally possesssome degree of curvature rather than being perfectly straight. When sucha curved wire is mechanically gripped near its center, the end will bemisaligned. This curvature would result in a misalignment of the end tobe terminated. The location of the funnel near the crimping stationprovides automatic realignment of the wire end. Another example ofmisalignment occurs when stranded wire is to be crimped in a closedbarrel. The strands at the end of the wire could be frayed. The funnelwould have a tendency to dress the frayed ends so that they could beinserted into the barrel.

Inserting the wire into a barrel is only one portion of the wirehandling problem which must be overcome in the attempt to increase thespeed of operation. Means must be provided for removing the wire fromthe crimping station, from the funnel, and releasing the wire aftertermination. The wires normally terminated in these machines aresomewhat pliable and the tendency exists for them to resist lateralmovement. This invention utilizes a movable spring loaded funnel toimpart lateral momentum to the wires. Rapid reciprocable movement of thefunnel is used as a means to extract the wire both from the crimpingstation and from the funnel itself.

This invention achieves the object of increased speed with minimal costsand overcomes the just mentioned problems by using the followingapproach. A wire is gripped at a point spaced from the end to which aterminal is to be attached. The wire is then moved longitudinally of itsaxis through a restriction comprising a wire positioning funnel. Thisfunnel is located adjacent to the crimping station. Two modes ofoperation are envisioned. In the first, the wire is poked through thefunnel by an operator without mechanical assistance. In the second mode,the operator positions the wire in a wire gripping channel. In thesecond mode, the channel walls constrict to grip the wire and begin itsmovement along its axis. A sensor which detects the bared or strippedend of a wire is used to detect the presence of the wire prior toinsertion into the crimping station. The wire can be layed into a wiregripping channel having constricting sidewalls. This wire crimpingchannel is movable in the direction of its axis. One wall is retractableto allow the wire to move laterally of its own axis out of the channelafter termination. This invention also utilizes a hinged spring loadedmovable funnel to impart lateral momentum to the wire after crimping.The two modes described above differ only in the wire insertion stage.Wire extraction occurs in the same manner in each mode.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the closed barrel terminal applicator and wire feeder.

FIG. 2 shows a crimping station with movable punch and anvil and thewire positioning funnel.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the wire feeding mechanism.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the wire feeding mechanism.

FIG. 5 is a diagramatic view showing the relative positioning of thepress, anvil, terminals, funnel, sensor, wire gripping jaws, and onewire. The various elements are in their initial orientation.

FIG. 6 shows a continuation of FIG. 5 showing the operation of thesensor and wire gripping jaws.

FIG. 7 is a continuation of FIG. 6 showing the movement of a wire into aterminal barrel and its subsequent crimping.

FIG. 8 is a continuation of FIG. 7 showing the initiation of the wireremoval step.

FIG. 9 is a continuation of FIG. 8 showing removal of the wire from thefunnel.

FIG. 10 is a diagramatic view focusing on the funnel and wire in aninitial position.

FIG. 11 is a continuation of FIG. 10 showing the lateral extraction ofthe wire from the funnel.

FIG. 12 is a continuation of FIG. 11 showing completion of the wireremoval operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

One conventional method of applying terminals to the stripped end ofelectrical wires is to crimp the barrel or ferrule of the terminalaround the wire end. Standard terminal crimping applicators employ amovable punch having a crimping surface, a stationary anvil, and meansfor feeding terminals into a crimping station located at the conjunctionof the movable punch and the anvil.

The terminal feeding means employed with this invention is similar tothat disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,814. Terminals 2 are attached to acarrier strip 12 and extend laterally therefrom. The carrier strip canbe formed from a suitable plastic such as Mylar(polyethyleneterephthalate). Strip 12, shown here has ring tongue 4 ofterminal 2 encapsulated between two strips of plastic with the barrel 6extending laterally from one side. Slots or holes 14 are located alongthe other side of the carrier strip. Suitable teeth on the terminal feedmeans engage these slots to advance the strip, and of course, theattached terminals into crimping station 19 from a first side, through,and then out of the crimping station on an opposite second side. Theterminal feeding means disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,553,814 performsthis feeding operation and also severs the terminals from carrier strip12.

The wire feed mechanism 11 depicted in the embodiment shown is intendedfor use with a standard terminal applicator and terminal feed assembly.This wire feed mechanism 11 comprises a wire gripping jaw, a wire endsensor, and a wire positioning funnel attachment. The associatedcircuitry moves a stripped wire along its axis, through the wirepositioning funnel and into a closed cylindrical terminal barrel locatedin a crimping station.

The wire jaw assembly is located in the upper center of the wire feedapparatus. This wire gripping jaw assembly comprises a laterallyclamping member 70 and an upright barrier member 76. Members 70 and 76define an elongated channel 74. The width of channel 74 varies asclamping member 70 moves toward channel member 76. Channel 74 is inalignment with the crimping station located at the conjunction ofmovable punch 18 and anvil 20.

A wire end sensor 50 is located between the channel 74 formed by members70 and 76, and the crimping station 19. Wire end sensor 50 comprises twoblocks of electrically conductive material on either side of a centralinsulating strip 56. Sensor blocks 52 and 54 have inwardly sloping faces53 and 55. Faces 53 and 55 form a V with central insulating strip 56being located at the apex of this V. Faces 53 and 55 and the open end ofthe V are in alignment with channel 74 and face away from crimpingstation 19 toward channel 74. Blocks 52 and 54 are electricallyconnected, but insulating strip 56 prevents completion of any circuit.Sensor 50 is located on a sensor slide 104 and is movable laterally fromthe position shown in FIG. 3 to a position to the left of crimpingstation 19, and channel 74, as viewed in FIG. 3. A lever 68 is locatedon the left end of sensor slide 104. Sensor 50 is moved along sensorslide 104 by activation of lever 68. As end 69 of lever 68 is moved tothe right in FIG. 3, the sensor 50 moves to the left along the slide.

A clothespin-type actuator 62 is located to the left of clamping member68 as shown in FIG. 3. Actuator 68 comprises two plate-like members 64and 66 which are biased away from each other by the action of spring 63.A rotary solenoid 58 is attached to the plate-like member 64 by means oflever arm 60. Rotary solenoid 58 rotates in a clockwise direction asshown by the arrow. As solenoid 58 and arm 60 rotate, plate-like member64 also rotates in a clockwise direction. Member 64 soon abuts end 69 ofsensor lever 68 which in turn results in movement of sensor 50 away fromthe position occupied in FIG. 4. As plate 64 moves under the action ofsolenoid 58, a force is transmitted through spring 63 to cause clockwiserotation of plate 66. Plate 66 initially comes into contact withfollower wheel 72 which is attached to the left end of clamping member70. Clockwise rotation of plate 66 therefore drives clamping member 70to the right toward barrier member 76.

A second rotary solenoid 78 is located below channel 74. Solenoid 78rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed from above as in FIG. 4.Solenoid 78 rotates about an axis which is perpendicular to the axis ofrotation of solenoid 58. Arm 80 is located on the top of solenoid 58 anda follower wheel 81 is attached to the end of arm 80. Wheel 81 islocated in channel 83. Channel 83 is in turn located on the bottomportion of bracket 82. The wire gripping jaw, comprising clamping member70 and barrier member 76, is located on the top of bracket 82. Rotationof solenoid 78 causes follower wheel 81 to travel along channel 83 anddrives bracket 82 toward the crimping station 19. Of course, this alsoresults in movement of the wire gripping means towards the crimpingstation.

Solenoid 84 is located beside barrier member 76. Linear solenoid 84moves piston 88 along a path generally parallel to the axis of rotationof solenoid 78. Actuator head 90 is located on the top piston 88 asshown in FIG. 3. Head 90 engages barrier member 76 as shown at 77. Uponactivation of solenoid 84, head 90 moves down against a force exerted byspring 86. As head 90 moves down barrier member 76 also travels withhead 90, thereby opening one side of the channel 74.

Actuation of the three solenoids and proper cycling of the machines iscontrolled by a series of appropriately positioned limit switches. Limitswitch 96 is located below clamping member 70. If channel 74 is empty,thus permitting clamping member 70 to essentially contact wall 76, plate66 will activate limit switch 96. If limit switch 96 is activated, theoperational cycle of the mechanism is interrupted, and returns tostarting conditions, since there is no wire present in channel 74.

Limit switch 98 is located below limit switch 96 and is adjacent tosolenoid 58. Arm 99 extends from switch 98. As solenoid 58 rotates, theactuating arm will eventually depress arm 99 thus activating switch 98.Activation of switch 98 triggers solenoid 78 which in turn drives theentire wire gripping assembly toward the crimping station.

As solenoid 78 moves the wire gripping assembly toward the crimpingstation, channel 83 eventually depresses switch arm 83 on limit switch102. Upon activation of limit switch 102, two operations are initiated.First movable punch 18 is activated and a wire barrel 6 is crimpedaround the stripped wire end 10 of a wire 8. Limit switch 102 is alsoattached to solenoid 84 through an appropriate time delay. After thistime delay, solenoid 84 retracts barrier 76. Head 90 has an actuatingarm 92 extending from the right side in FIG. 3. Actuating arm 92triggers limit switch 94 which deactivates solenoid 84. Head 90 is thendriven upward by the action of spring 86. Activation of the limit switch94 also results in deactivation of rotary solenoid 78. Appropriatesprings then return the wire gripping assembly and the sensor to theirinitial positions.

A transparent guard 106 is shown in FIG. 1. This guard is intended toprevent injury to the operator by preventing the operator from placinghis fingers between moving parts. Note that a slot 108 is provided topermit passage of the terminated wires out of the crimping station.Clearance must also be allowed for inserting the wire into the crimpingstation by laying the wire into the wire gripping channel or insertingthe wire into the enclosed conical funnel. Note that funnel 30 isadjacent to crimping station 19 and recessed from guard 106. Funnelprovides a larger target for wire end 10, whether that wire is grippedin channel 74 or is poked into the funnel by the operator.

OPERATION

FIGS. 5 through 9 illustrate the basic steps of wire feeding andextraction performed with this invention. In FIG. 1 it is apparent thatindividual closed barrel terminals 2 mounted on carrier strips 12 aresequentially moved into crimping station 19 between movable punch 18 andanvil 20. Terminal barrel 6 is located in crimping station 19 directlybelow crimping surface 17.

A single wire 8 having a stripped end 10 is shown in general alignmentwith crimping station 19. In an applicator of this type, wires arenormally fed individually, by hand, into crimping station 19. Utilizingthe wire feeder, each wire is advanced toward crimping station 19 asshown in FIG. 6. Before a wire can enter crimping station 19, it strikessensor 50. Sensor 50 is located in front of crimping station 19. FIG. 6shows stripped end 10 of wire 8 extending into the V formed by sensorfaces 53 and 55. Stripped wire end 10 can now complete an electricalcircuit between sensor blocks 52 and 54. Thus an appropriate signalindicating that a wire is positioned in channel 74 without precisehorizontal alignment is transmitted to the wire feeder. Upon receipt ofthis signal from sensor 50, clamping member 70 moves to secure the wire8 in channel 74. The wire is now gripped as shown. Sensor 50 then movesclear of the crimping station 19 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 6. Wiregripping means 71 then moves wire 8 along its axis through funnel 30 andinto barrel 6 located in crimping station 19. Movable punch 18 is thenactivated and barrel 6 is crimped around wire end 10 as shown in FIG. 7.FIG. 8 shows the retraction of movable punch 18. At roughly the sametime, barrier member 76 is retracted as shown in FIG. 8. Wire 8 is nolonger held in channel 74. FIG. 9 shows the movement of a terminatedwire out of the crimping station 19. Carrier strip 12 has advanced oneposition and a new terminal has been located in the crimping station.Funnel 30 has also advanced simultaneously with the movement of carrierstrip 12. Funnel 30 is shown in FIG. 9 with jaws 34 and 36 separated torelease the wire 8.

After barrel 6 has been crimped around wire end 10, wire 8 moveslaterally out of crimping station 19. Wire 10 has been moved by thecombined action of strip 12 and funnel 30. After the crimping operation,terminal 2 is no longer securely attached to strip 12. U.S. Pat. No.3,553,814 describes the method in which the terminal has been partiallyfreed from strip 12 in a conventional crimping press of the type usedherein. The strip does, however, continue to execute some lateral forceon terminal 2. Funnel 30 also exerts a lateral force on the wire at apoint near terminal 2. The wire is accelerated to the right when viewedin FIG. 11, giving the wire momentum in that direction.

Unlike the other elements in this invention, funnel 30 is attacheddirectly to applicator 16, and is activated by the carrier strip advanceapparatus. The remaining elements of the wire feature are positionedadjacent to the applicator. Only funnel 30 is mechanically linked to theapplicator apparatus. The other portions of the wire feed areelectrically linked to the applicator so that an appropriate feeding andcrimping cycle can be maintained.

A wire is extracted from crimping station 19 by the movement of funnel30 along a slightly arcuate path. Motion of strip 12 alone cannot berelied upon to remove a wire from the crimping station. While it is notapparent from FIG. 9, the ring tongue 4 of a crimped terminal has beenat least partially separated from carrier strip 12 during the crimpingoperation of FIG. 7. A finite amount of momentum must be imparted towire 8. Wire 8 receives this linear momentum, directed to the right asshown in the Figures as it is kicked by funnel 30. Funnel 30 rotatesthrough a clockwise arc of approximately 30 degrees. The funnel thenimmediately returns to the initial position as shown in FIG. 9. As thefunnel returns to its initial position, its momentum is instanteouslyopposite to that earlier imparted to the wire 8. This momentumdifference equals the force available for extracting wire 8 from funnel30. The upper and lower jaws 30 and 36 are spring loaded relative toeach other. The extraction force due to the oppositely directed momentumof the wire and funnel acts against free ends 35 and 37 against spring32. Jaws 34 and 36 are thus opened relative to wire 8. In thisparticular embodiment, upper funnel jaw 34 is fixed with respect tofunnel arm 28. Lower jaw 36 can rotate clockwise against the action ofspring 32. Upper jaw 34 is fixed because it serves one additionalpurpose. Upper jaw 34 acts to strip crimped barrier 6 from crimpingsurface 17 during the upward retraction of movable punch 18.

The embodiment illustrated and described in this applicationdemonstrates an appropriate technique for increasing the operating speedof conventional crimping presses. The invention embodied herein is notlimited solely to specific structure illustrated. Numerous otherembodiments could differ in detail while not departing from the scopeand contact of the invention disclosed and claimed herein.

We claim:
 1. In an apparatus for applying terminals, each having anenclosed cylindrical barrel, to the end of wires including:a crimpingpress comprising a crimping anvil and a crimping die movable relativelytowards and away from said anvil; a crimping zone formed at theconvergence of said anvil and said die; and terminal advance means forsequentially and laterally advancing equally spaced strip mountedindividual terminals into said crimping zone from a first side and outof said crimping zone on an opposite second side, the improvementcomprising: a conical wire positioning funnel located in a firstposition adjacent to and spaced from said crimping zone with the axis ofsaid funnel in alignment with a terminal barrel located within saidcrimping zone, said funnel being free to move from said first positionto a laterally displaced second position in sequence with the movementof a terminal barrel out of said crimping zone on said second side, saidfunnel being also free to subsequently return from said second positionto said first position, and hinge means allowing said funnel to openwhen said funnel is in the vicinity of said second position, wherebyoneof said wires may be aligned with and inserted into an enclosedcylindrical terminal barrel by use of said funnel whereupon said barrelis crimped onto said wire and said wire is released from said funnel bysaid hinge means upon relative movement between said funnel and thecrimped wire and barrel.
 2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid funnel comprises upper and lower jaws, said jaws being joined bysaid hinge means adjacent to said first side of said crimping zone. 3.An apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said upper and lower jawshave free ends adjacent to said second side of said crimping zone, saidfree ends normally touching each other.
 4. An apparatus as set forth inclaim 3 wherein said hinge means comprise pivot points and resilientspring means, said upper and lower jaws being free to separate byrelative rotation against the action of said spring means, rotationbeing initiated by a lateral force exerted against the inner surface ofsaid funnel in the vicinity of said free ends.
 5. An apparatus as setforth in claim 4 wherein said upper jaw remains fixed with respect tosaid pivot point and said lower jaw rotates relative to said pivot pointand said upper jaw.
 6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein saidapparatus and has a shield located between said funnel and said free endof said wire extending through said funnel, said shield having a slotextending from the vicinity of said crimping zone to and beyond thevicinity of said second position, said slot being positioned so thatsaid wire is free to move through said slot.
 7. An apparatus as setforth in claim 1 wherein said terminal advance means imparts a lateralforce to said wire upon movement of said wire laterally out of saidcrimping station.
 8. In an apparatus for applying terminals, each havingan enclosed cylindrical barrel, to the end of stranded wires including:a crimping press comprising a crimping anvil and a crimping die movablerelatively towards and away from said anvil; a crimping zone formed atthe convergence of said anvil and said die; and terminal advance meansfor sequentially and laterally advancing equally spaced strip mountedindividual terminals into said crimping zone from a first side and outof said crimping zone on an opposite second side, the improvementcomprising:a wire positioning funnel located adjacent to said crimpingzone and in alignment with a terminal barrel located within saidcrimping zone, a wire sensor for detecting the presence of the end of anelectrically conductive wire, and reciprocal wire clamping means forgenerally aligning the axis of said wire with the axis of said funneland moving said wire longitudinally towards said crimping zone, saidwire sensor normally being positioned between said funnel and saidclamping means, wherebyupon positioning the end of said wire againstsaid wire sensor said clamping means securely grip said wire and extendthe end of said wire through said funnel and into said crimping zonewhereupon a barrel is crimped around said wire.
 9. An apparatus as setforth in claim 8 wherein said wire sensor comprises two electricallyconductive members separated by an insulating member, said conductivemembers each being connected to a source of electrical power so that theend of said electrically conductive wire completes a circuit when saidend of said wire simultaneously contacts both of said conductivemembers.
 10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein saidconductive members form a V-shaped surface with said insulating memberlocated at vertex of said V-shaped surface.
 11. An apparatus as setforth in claim 10 wherein said clamping means comprise the oppositewalls of a channel, said channel being generally aligned with the axisof said funnel.
 12. An apparatus as set forth in claim 11 wherein one ofsaid walls moves towards and away from the other wall.
 13. An apparatusas set forth in claim 12 wherein said other wall is retractable topermit passage of a wire moving laterally out of said crimping zone. 14.A method of attaching a terminal to one end of a wire, said methodcomprising the steps of,laying the wire in a U-shaped channel with saidone end extending beyond said channel, constricting said channel so asto exert pressure on said wire intermediate its ends, moving said wirelongitudinally along its axis so that one end is pushed through arestricting enclosed funnel to precisely position said wire in aterminal application station, applying a terminal to said one end ofsaid wire by exertion of a force laterally of the axis of said wire,freeing said wire from said channel and moving said wire laterally ofits axis out of said terminal application station by imparting momentumto said wire by moving said funnel.